Display cabinet



B.' FISH ET AL Nov. 4,

DIsPLAYcABiNET Filed Jan. 8, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. v4, 1947. B, FISH' HALv 2,430,166

DISPLAY CABINET Filed Jan. 8, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 4, 1947 2,430,166 DISPLAY CABINET Bernard Fish, Brooklyn, and Cecil E. Taylor, Harrison, N. Y., and John C. Van Cleaf, Madison, N. J., assignors to Gaylord Container Corporation, St. Louis, Tito., a corporation of Maryland Application January 8, 1945, Serial No. 571,876

This invention relates to display cabinets of corrugated board or other bendable material. It has for its principal objects a display cabinet of the above type that will provide a series of article display shelves each respectively higher and rearward of the preceding one, that is strong and durable, simple and inexpensive and of attractive appearance and that can be shipped in knockdown condition and easily assembled without the use of glue, staples, stitching tape or other separate fasteners. The invention consists in the stepped-shelf display cabinet and in the parts and combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification and wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a display cabinet embodying our invention,

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of said cabinet,

Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional views on the lines 3 3 and 4 4, respectively, in Fig. l,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view on the line 5-5 in Fig. 2,

Fig. 6 isa plan view of the blank from which the body of the cabinet is formed,

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the shelf blank for said cabinet, v

Fig. 8 is a face view of the detachable display panel of said cabinet; and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the erected body blank. v.

The display cabinet shown in the accompanying drawing is made entirely of corrugated board, berboard, or other light-weight bendable material and comprises an open-top body formed from a blank, shown in Fig. 6, that is bent along score lines I to form a back wall panel 2 and two side wall panels 3. The front end of each side panel 3 has a projecting ap 4 with a score line 5 for facilitating bending of said flap. Each side panel 3 also has an inwardly extending base panel 6 along the lower edge thereof with a score line 'I to facilitate bending of said base panel; and said base panel has a continuation that is bent upwardly along a longitudinal score line 8 to provide an upstanding shelf supporting wall or panel 9. The two shelf supporting walls 9 are preferably spaced apart equal distances from each other and from the adjacent side panels 3.

The back panel 2 has an inwardly extending base flap I0 along the lower edge thereof and a score line I| to facilitate bending of said flaps;-

and said base ap has a central extension I2 that 11 Claims. (Cl. 211-130) is bent upwardly along a score line I3 to provide an upstanding spacer tab I4 that fits between the two shelf supporting walls 9 in edgewise abutting relation thereto. The upright spacer tab I4 has outstanding tongues I5 at its upper corners that extend through vertically 'elongated slots I6 provided therefor in upstanding shelf supporting walls 9. The portions Illa of the inturned base of the bottom flap I0 on opposite sides of the middle extension I2 thereof overlap and seat on the inturned bottom panel 6 along the lower edges of the side panels 3. As shown in the drawings, the body blank is notched, as at I'I, at the rear ends of the score lines 8 on which the shelf supporting walls 9 are bent so as to bring the rear ends of the base panels E substantially flush with the back panel 2 and to bring the rear edges of said shelf supporting walls into abutting relation with said back panel.

The display cabinet is provided with a shelf and tray forming member which is made from the rectangular blank shown in Fig. 7, by bending said blank along transverse score lines I8 alternately from one side to the other in a zig-zag manner to form a front base panel I9, a low upstanding front` panel 20 with a locking ap 2| at its upper edge, a raised upstanding back panel 22 with a depending locking ap 23 at its upper edge, and a. series or ight of article display shelves 24 located between said front base panel and said back panel and each respectively higher and rearward of the preceding one. The shelves 24 are connected to each other by a riser panel 2-5 and the lowermost shelf is connected to the front base panel I9 by means of a riser 26. The shelf forming member extends from front to b ack of ,the display cabinet between the upstanding side panels 3 thereof with `its front base panel I9 seated on the forward end` portions of the inwardly extending bottom panels 6 along the lower edges of said side panels; and the front flaps 4 of said side panels are bent inwardly over the ends of said base panel, after which the front panel 20 is bent upwardly against the outer side faces of said front flaps and the locking ap 2|,`

is then bent downwardly over the inner faces ofv said front aps into edgewise abutting relation to `said front b ase panel. As shown in the drawings,A

' locking flap against upward swinging movement.

sides of a shallow article supporting tray 21 and the side panels 3 form the end walls thereof. The downwardly bent locking flap 23 along the top edge oi the opstanding display or back pane1 22 at the rear of the topmost shelf has vertical notches 28 in the lower edge thereof adapted to straddle 'upwardly opening notches 29 provided therefor in locking tabs 30 that project forwardly from the back panel 2 and are struck from openings 3l therein, thus locking the back panel 22 of the step forming member to the back panel 3 of the body of the display cabinet.

As shown in the drawings, the upper edges of the shelf supporting walls 9 have a series of straight, forwardly facing edges 34, each respectively higher and rearward of the preceding one, that afford support for the risers 25 and 26 and the back panel 22; and said upper edges are also shaped to provide between said straight edges upstanding tabs 35 that extend upwardly through elongated slots 36 provided therefor in said shelves 24. The tabs 35 form upstanding partition members on the shelves 24 and cooperate with the latter to prevent relative movement of said shelves and the seat supporting panels 9 crosswise of the display cabinet. The shelves 24 are also provided, in the plane of the risers 25 and 26 between the locking and partition tabs 35 and the latter and the side panels 3, with upstanding tabs 3l whichornament its shelves and serve to retain the articles thereon.' The shelves 24 are supported on the upper edges of the supporting panels 9 at points where the straight edges 34 meet the convex edges of the upstanding tabs 35; and the forward straight edges of the supporting panels 9 are formed with outstanding tabs 38 that project through elongated slots 40 in the riser Apanel 26 of the forward shelf. The side panels 3 of the body of the display case have their upper edges stepped, as at 4 l, in conformity withthe shelves 24; and said side panels extend far enough above and forward of said shelves to close the ends therefor.

A detachable head or display panel 42 extends above the back panels 2 and 22 of the display cabinet and is adapted to have advertising matter or other indicia attached thereto or printed thereon. The lower end of the headipanel 42 extends downwardly between the rearward downturned flap 23 of the head panel 22 of the shelf member and the back panel 2 of the body and has downwardly opening notches 43 in its lower end adapted to seat in the upwardly opening notches 29 in the locking tabs 30 on said back panel of said body.

lThe hereinbefore described display cabinet has several important advantages. It is simple and inexpensive and can be quickly and easily assembled without the use of glue or other separate fastening means. It provides a series of shelves resembling a flight of stairs on which the articles may be displayed to the best advantage; and it provides a tray for holding other articles. The member which forms the shelves and tray snugly fits between the side panels 3 of the body of the display cabinet and the shelf portions of said member are firmly supported by the upstanding shelf supporting panels 9, while the front tray forming portion of said member is supported on the forward end portions of the base panels 6. The shelf supporting panels 9 are held apart by the tabs 35 and 38 that fit the slots provided therefor in the shelf member and also prevent relative movement of saidmember and panels crosswise of the display cabinet. The downwardly rebent front end iap 2| of the tray and shelf forming member overlaps the front flaps 4 of the side wall panels 3 and serves to hold them in place. The rear panel 22 of the shelf member is firmly locked to the rear panel 2 of the body of the cabinet by means of the notched locking tabs 30; and these tabs also serve to removably support the display or head panel 42 between the two back panels 2 and 22.

What we claim is:

1:- A display cabinet of corrugated board or like material comprising a blank bent to form a body including a high back wall, side walls, inwardly extending base panels along the lower edges of said side walls and upwardly extending supporting walls along the inner margins of said base panels, and a second blank bent to form a series of shelves that are connected to said body and extend from side wall to side wall thereof, said shelves being offset both vertically and horizontally with relation to each other with the highest shelf located at the back of said cabinet, and being supported on the said supporting walls.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said back wall has a forwardly and upwardly extending portion that fits between said supporting walls and constitutes a spacer therefor.

3. The combination set forth in claim l, wherein said supporting walls have` openings therethrough and said back wall has a forwardly extending portion along the lower edge thereof that is bent upwardly between said supporting walls to form a spacer and has tabs projecting into said openings.

4. A display cabinet of corrugated board or like material comprising a blank bent to form a high back wall, side walls, inwardly extending base panels along the lower edges of said side walls and upwardly extending supporting walls along the free inner margins of said base panels, and a second blank bent to form a series of shelves that extend from side wall to side wall and are offset both vertically and horizontally with 'relation to each other-with'the highest shelf located at the back of said cabinet, an upstanding back panel at the rear edge of said highest shelf and connected to said back wall, and a tray extending from side wall to side wall in front of the foremost shelf, said supporting walls having their upper edges shaped to provide supports for said shelves. Y

5. The combination lset forth in claim 4, wherein said side walls have inturned tabs at their front ends and the front end portion of said second blank is bent upwardly to form the front wall of said tray and is thence rebent downwardly on its inner side over the inturned front tabs of said side wall.

6. The combination set forth in claim 4, wherein the side walls extend above the shelves and have their upper edges offset in conformity therewith.

7. The combination set forth in claim 4, where in said shelves have slots extending therethrough from front to back th'ereof and said supporting walls have upstanding tabs thereon projecting upwardly through said slots, and the portion of said second blank which connects the lowermost shelf with the bottom of said tray has slots extending therethrough and said supporting Walls have tabs thereon that project forwardly through said last mentioned slots.

8. The combination as set forthin claim 4, wherein a separate head panel is secured between wardly extending supporting walls along the inner margins of said base panels parallel to the side walls, and a second blank bent to form a series of shelves that are connected to said body blank 10 and extend from side wall to side wall thereof, said shelves being offset both vertically and horizontally with relation to each other with the highest shelf located at the back of said cabinet, and supported on said supporting walls.

10. The combination set forth in claim 9, wherein said back wall has a forwardly and vertically extending portion that fits between said supporting walls and constitutes a spacer therefor.

11. The combination set forth in claim 9, wherein said supporting walls have openings therethrough and said back Wall has a forwardly extending portion along the-lower edge thereof that is bent upwardly between said supporting 6 walls to form a spacer and has tabs projecting into said openings.

BERNARD FISH. CECIL E. TAYLOR. JOHN C. VAN CLEAF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Pantalone July 13, 1943 

